I've just crocheted a cargo net for my ratties. I'm sure I'm not the first to do so and I did do a search on here and the old forum for 'crochet cargo net' and 'crochet rat hammock' and didn't find anything so I apologise if I'm behind the times and just re-hashing what others have already done!

I bought a 40m nylon washing line and a 20m guy line from the poundshop with the intention of making the cargo nets as I have been doing for a while since finding the awesome instructions on here but I hit upon the idea of using the lines as yarn to make a cargo net thats has smaller holes in... to accomodate my oldie girl who is a little wobbly at times

I've never written a pattern before but I think anyone who has crocheted for a while will get the gist and can perhaps decifer it for me into a proper pattern

A 10mm hook is plenty big enough for standard washing line and the guy line that was 3mm thick. I tend to use Bamboo hooks but the line I used requires a fair bit of pulling and tugging so I would recommend an acrylic one (I used a Pony branded one because the 'v' on the hook is really deep). You could use rope for this but I think that given the price of the rope itself and the fact that you would need 20 or 30mm hook (and I've only ever seen those mde by Brittany Hooks- which is expensive!) It wouldn't work out any cheaper to make than buying one for £8. Hving said that I have a duetto and the cargo nets you buy are woefully small for my cage so it might actually be worth considering it so that I can make a cargo net or ramp large enough for the cage.

Working your chain in sets of two, chain the rquired length for your hammock/cargo net.

Row 1: htr in the 3rd ch from the hook, *ch 1, sk 1 ch, htr.Repeat from * to end of chainCh3, turnRow 2: htr in the top of the 1st htr from the previous row, *ch 1, htr in the top of the next htrRepeat from * to end of rowCh3, turn

Repeat row 2 until your cargo net is the desirde width.It is easier to htr into the chain space but I found this gave the hammock/cargo net too much give in a width ways direction.

It only took me about 20 minutes to make the cargo net and I'm really pleased with the results. I think the knotted cargo net is great for keeping active ratties fit as it requires a bit more work to use but this is a good alternative if you have older or infirm ratlets!

I'm sorry these instructions are not very good but I may make another one later and will either take step by step photo's or maybe a video to demonstrate if anyone wants it

Here are a couple of pictures of the finished work, anyway!

This one is made using the 40m washing line and peasure about 12"x9"

This one is made using the 20m guy line and measures about 10"x6"- it is small but it was a pound lol, will be using another guy line to add the extra length I want.

Sorry abouth the shoddy pics it was taken on my phone... which is pants!

_________________"Nothing is so fatal to the progress of the human mind as to suppose that our views of science are ultimate; that there are no mysteries in nature; that our triumphs are complete and there are no new worlds to conquer" Sir Humphry Davy

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